Wellard buys a ute

Wellard CEO Mauro Balzarini said the company had been viewing an addition to its stable of workhorses for some time, but had been unable to find the right one, until now.

“Like any Australian rural-based business, we recognised the value of owning a ute and quite frankly I wish we had been able to buy this ute sooner given the huge number of uses for it,” Mr Balzarini said.

“Utes are a unique part of the Australian rural landscape and have served generations of farmers.

“It will be invaluable to our business going forward and I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel.”

Mr Balzarini said although Wellard traditionally bought new vehicles, the ability to purchase an older model at the right price that suited the Company’s immediate needs proved the deciding factor.

“It will fit right in with our other vehicles once I arrange for a new paint job,” he said. “It has the power to weight ratio that we require and with its fuel economy it will be able to cover large distances with a large payload without the need to stop for fuel.

“The ute has been put to work quickly given current seasonal conditions have created an immediate need for it, though when we get a chance we will stick it up on the hoist to give it a good once over so that it can continue to rack up the miles safely.”

Wellard is a world leader in the production and distribution of livestock and grain.

Its two largest subsidiaries are Wellard Rural Exports, Australia’s largest livestock exporter and ship owner, and Wellard Agri, a large mixed farming land owner and operator specialising in the production of grains, legumes and livestock.

Wellard Rural Exports has supplied quality dairy and beef cattle and sheep and goats to the world for more than 30 years, and its investment in the live export industry is without peer. Based in Fremantle, Western Australia, the company’s operations cover every aspect of the export chain, including feed milling, livestock aggregation, road transport, feedlot facilities throughout Australia and modern shipping.

The company’s flagship carrier, the MV Ocean Drover (formerly the MV Becrux), is a purpose-built livestock carrier capable of carrying 75,000 sheep or 18,000 cattle to major markets around the globe. She was commissioned in 2002.

Two new, technologically advanced, purpose-built vessels, the MV Ocean Swagman and the MV Ocean Outback, were launched in 2010. They offer unparalleled levels of safety for the livestock, crew and vessel, and can transport 7000 cattle, 25,000 sheep, or a combination of both.

Wellard’s abattoir, Beaufort River Meats, processes up to 2500 sheep and lambs a day, enabling Wellard to meet customer demand for both livestock and chilled meat.

Wellard Agri owns and operates eight farms covering 35,700 hectares across three principal agri-hubs. The two northern hubs are located at Dongara and Watheroo in Western Australia’s central midlands and one is located at Kojonup in the Great Southern region of WA.

The Dongara hub is home to The Grange, a 14,500 hectare property which is considered one of Western Australia’s blue chip farming properties.

The remaining landholding being more than 21,500 hectares, in total planting 23,500 hectares to a variety of grains and legumes. The other 6,100ha is devoted to sheep and cattle production, including the Hyfield Poll Merino stud at Kojonup. In addition, Wellard leases an additional 13,500ha for livestock and grain production.

Wellard Agri also has operations in the farm machinery sector, through management of the CLAAS Harvest Centres at Esperance, Katanning, Wongan Hills and Geraldton for the Landpower range of farm machinery.